Light-cleaning apparatus



JJAPH, B L

LIGHT CLEA NI NG APPARATUS Filed March '7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 22, 1923. 1,455,773 J. A. H. BELL LIGHT CLEANING Af PARATUS Filbd March v 19 1 2 Sheets-Sheet? .45 14 mounted adjacent, the socket 1.

atented May 22, 1923.

J'AMIES A. H. BELL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

LIGHT-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 7, 1921. Serial No. 450,441.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that 1, JAMES A. H. BELL, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, have invented new and useful Light-Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to features of maintaining illumination.

This invention has utility when incorporated incleaning mechanism for light transmitting and light reflecting surfaces, more especially as involved in incandescent lamp bulbs and dispersing reflectors therefor.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of an illuminating device having the wiper of this invention incorporated there- 'with, in running position;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the embodiment of the device of this invention disclosed in Fig. 1, with the parts in inactive or idle position,

- the illuminating device being shown in dotted lines; and Fig.3 is a bottom'plan view of the device with the wiper therein; Fig. 4 is a time controlled wiper installation and Fig. 5 is a thermostatic controlled wiper installation. A socket 1 is shown as having mounted therein an incandescent electric light bulb 2 having a circular light transmitting surface 3 about light emitting filament 4. The socketl also carries a reflector 5 having an inner circular surface 6 for concentrating, dispersing or directing rays of light from the filament 4 passing through the lamp bulb surface 3. Electric current supply lines 7,

8, extend to the socket l in supplying elec-v tric energy to the bulb in completing the illuminating device.

Electric current supply lines 9, 10, in passin switch 11, may have current flow manua 1y controlled in the lines 12, 13, to mopnor T is motor 14, has shaft 15 carrying pulley 16 about which extends belt 17 driving rotary member or pulley 18 of a tubular bearing member embracing the bulb 2 and disposedconcentrically of the bulb 2 and reflector 5, as to their respective circular surfaces 3, 6. Fixed bearing 19 between the reflector 5 and the socket 1 carries the rotary member 18. 7 Depending from the member 18 is a bracket 20 having pivot pin 21 for an arm 22 carrying a brush or wiper element proper 23. This wiper member 22, 23, may have its wiping or cleaning element 23 configured to approximate a section of the curved surface of the reflector 5. Near the outer terminus of the member 22 is a weight 24 as a loading means tending to make more quickly responsive the swinging clear of the surface, as well as more positive, the holding into surface engaging position] This reflector wiper member 22 has a depending ear 25 from which extends link 26 to pivotal connection 2'? with link 28 carried by pivot pi 29 mounted in depending bracket 30, similar to the bracket 20, and carried by the rotary member 18 approximately diametrically opposite to the bearing 20. Pivot bearing 31' connects the link 28 with bulb surface wiper member 32 hav ing thereon wiper element proper 33 curved to conform to a section of the circular outer surface of the bulb 2. To assist in distributing more uniformly the load on the fixed bearing 19, there extends from the bracket 30 a Weight 34.

At rest, the reflector wiper member 22 tends to fall away from the reflector surface 6, in a swinging movement on the pivot pin 21. This shifting may be assisted by weight or loading means 24. Through links 26, 28, the bulb surface wiper member 32 is simultaneously shifted outward or away from bulb surface. This means that the apparatus at rest is not in position as to either wiper to pack any grime or dust against the light bulb or reflector surface. s

In operation, at such intervals as may be desirable, the switch 11 may be thrown for quick short duration cleaning of a lamp or group of lamps. The driving motor 14, herein shown as an independent element mounted on the reflector support, instead of incorporated therein for direct drive, in its rotation at high speed of the rotary member 18, has the major or longer radius reflector wiper member 22 controlling not only to swing itself in cleaning position against the surface 6 of the reflector, but through the links 26, 28, pull the member 32 against the bulb surface 3. The fumes, dirt, or grime arising in the factory, foundry, or other place of installation may govern the 'character of wiping elements, as to coarse character approximating a brush, to the fineness of felt. When the switch 11 is opened,

I installed for automatic operation.

the members 22, 32, fall away from surface,

contacting positions. The wiper of this vdisclosure isaccordingly always in position for remote control in maintaining illumination efficiency even over diflicultly accessible Work, a material feature in reducing hazards to workmen.

This wiper construction is conveniently For in stance, as shown in Fig. 4, a remote control circuit may have a battery 34 connected by line 35 to a clock 36 from which may extend line 37 to coil 38. The clock 36 maybe provided with a switch connection controlling the'energizing of the coil 38 for a brief interval, as one minute, during each hour, or

for a brief interval once in every twelve hours, or other intervalsj -When this coil 38 is energized, it serves to close switch 39 and thereby permitsfiow of current from the line 7 by way of the line 40 to the control'line 41 having leads 12 tl'i erefrom to the motors 14 thereby causing the motors 14 to rotate the wipers 22, 33, in cleaningthe bulbs 3 and the reflectors or shades 5.

There may be a unit dust proofhousing 42 for the-combined socket and motor of the installation. l

As shown in Fig, 5, the'throwing in of the switch 43 to light the lamp 2 may operate automatically fora brief period to drive the motor 14 for operating the wiper. To this end the supply line '8' has heating coil 44 about expansion member 45. This line .leads from the coil 44 byway of coil 46 to solenoid 47 and thence to the lamp 2 with the other side' by wayof the line 7 completing the circuit. i i U As the current through the coil- 46 lights the lamp 2, solenoid 47 is operated to close switch 48 thereby from the line 7 by way ,of line 49 connecting to one side of wiper drivmotor 14. Line 50 from the other side oft-his motor. going by way of switch 51 and the bar-45 to the line 8 complete'sthis circuit. 'However, as the lamp 2 is continued lighted, the current in the coil 44 tends to bow the bar 45 by heat expansion I and open the switch" 51, thereby automatically stopping the motor 14 after a brief cleaning or wiping operation. Accordingly, in this dis closure of Fig. 5, at each interval of turning transmitter surface, including a bearing mounted concentrically of said surface, and a rockable wiper carried by the bearing,

there being yieldable means normally holding the wiper shifted as to the bearing out of wiping engagement with the transmitter surface.

3. A wiper for a circular reflector surface,

reflector surface. I

4. A wiper device for a circular reflector surface, including a bearingmounted'con centrically of said surface, and a roclgable wiper carried by the bearing for rotation against said surface, there'being meansfembodying a link and 'a weightacting upon the link for normally holding the wiper shifted as" to the bearing out of wiping engagement with the'reflector surfacei 5. A wiper device for acircular surface to I be cleaned, said dev ce embodyinga rotary member mounted concentrically of said surface, a wiper member hinged 'for' swinging toward and from said surface,v there "belllg loading means carried from therotary; member for relative radial movement, said loading means, also beingv connected ito rotate with the wiper member for holding the wiper member against the surface and pu-lling the wiper member at rest away froni'the surface, and means for rotating the'wiper member and loading means.

' 6. A wiper'devi'c'e for a circular light transmitting bulb surface to be cleaned, said device embodying a rotary member'moi int ed concentrically of said'bulb, a wiper member hinged for sw nging toward and from the bulb surface, a weight-carriedfrom the n)- tary member for relative radial movement, said weight also be ng connected to rotate with the wiper member for swingi'ngthe".

wiper member at restaway from thefb ulb surface and coacting in rotation to'swing.

the member against the surface, and driving means for the member andweight'f 7 A wiper device for a circular light transmitting surface and a circular-lightrefleeting surface,'said de'vice embodying a rotary member, said rotary member" and 'surfaces being concentrically disposed,"a wiper for each surface hinged fro'm'the rotary member for swinging toward and from wiping position as to the respective "sur. faces, a first of. said wipers being'sustained by the rotary member remote from the center of gravity of said first wiper,"a flinl connecting the wipers in opposing relation, one

of said wipers" as it falls away on its hinge mounting 'from'thesurface to be wiped thereby being elfective its falling to act through the link connection for shift ing the other wiper away from the surface for cleaning the bulb and shade, and a mo- 10 to be wiped by saidother Wiper, and driving 7 tor connected to operate the wiper means. means for rotating the rotary member and 9. A wiper device for a bulb, having a through the action of centrifugal force to shade, said device embodying wiper means 5 swing said first wiper into wiping position for cleaning the bulb and shade, a motor for and thereby through the link draw the other operating the wiper means, and an automat- 15 Wiper into Wiping position. ically controlled switch for the motor.

8. A wiper device for a bulb, having a In witness whereof I afiix my signature,

shade, said device embodying wiper means JAMES A. H. BELL. 

